Collapsible tube cap



`lune 13, 1950 L. BERGERQN COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAP Filed Deo. 5, 1945INVENTOR Louis Bergeron ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED STATESPATENT GFFICE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAP Louis Bergeron, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 5, 1945, Serial No. 632,915

1 Claim.

My invention pertains to interchangeably removeable caps used primarilyin conjunction with collapsible tubes of standard manufacture, which areutilized in merchandising and holding or retaining of plastic material.

One object of my invention is to provide a cap having body meansVarticulately secured to a closure means, and having interposed betweenthe closure and the body means of the cap, at the point of articulation,resilient means for maintaining the closure in open position andhermetically sealed in closed position.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a novel device of theaforementioned character an articulating hinge element, which serves anadditional function of acting as a resilient retaining means, retainingthe closure element in a fixed open position and also in a fixed closedposition, that is, the resilient retaining means requring slight effortto be exerted in order to disengage it from the fixed position eitherwhen open, or closed whatever the condition happens to be.

Another object of my invention is to provide an article, or device, ofthe aforementioned character, which may be used interchangeably withcollapsible tubes, after the materials have been dispensed therefrom,and a cap which will have all its elements self-retained so as to removethe difficulties at present contended with, through the use of separableor removable caps conventionally associated with collapsible tubes ofcommercial manufacture and construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in a cap of theaforementioned character, dispensing lip means which will serve thefunction of maintaining the dispensing opening clean and will permitclean wiping of the said lip means after plastic material is dispensedtherefrom, thus preventing contamination of the material confined'within the cap, presenting at all times a neat appearance, rather thanthe messy unsightly appearance that is prevalent where removable capsare utilized.

Another object of my invention is to provide an article of theaforementioned character which is simple in construction, contains fewparts, requires few operations for its manufacture and construction, andwhich is practical and efficient for the purposes intended, being alsoof such elemental assemblage and construction as to warrant economicalmanufacture thereof in quantity production.

Other features and advantages resident in my invention, will becomeapparent from an examination of the accompanying drawings, furtherelucidated in the ensuing description, so that those familiar with theart will have no difliculty in grasping the teachings expounded herein;the said drawings indicated in the various figures or views, whereinlike numerals, or symbols, are used to designate like parts; and, inwhich,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a collapsible container with myinvention attached thereto, showing the particular application when thecollapsible container is filled with tootl" paste, and showing atoothbrush removing some of the material from the tube, clean-wiping thesame.

Fig. 2 is a front view of my invention, with certain portions thereof,shown in section in order to more clearly elucidate the constructionthereof.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 with the exception that the closureportion of my invention is shown in open position ready for use.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view takenI substantially, on the line4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an important element used in connectionwith my invention.

Referring to the various views my invention is, generally, designated 6,and it is attached to the threaded mouth I0 of a collapsible tube 9, thematerials being dispensed through the elevated lip portion I5, so that abrush 1 having its bristles 8 drawn across the said lip I5 will removeall of the material ejected from the tube when the same is compressed,yet leaving the neck at the end of the opening lll clean at all times,and free from contamination by foregin matter prevalent in theatmosphere.

My invention, generally, designated consists of a body member Il, havinga female threaded portion I2 mating with the threaded portion on theneck l!! of a collapsible tube 9, being further provided with a ledgeextending to one side thereof which terminates in two ears 2B formingpart of an articulate assembling arrangement, the other ears 2| being onthe closure element i8 so as to receive the hinge element shown in Fig.5.

The said hinge element consists of hinge portions 23 which have adjacentor contiguous thereto the flat portions 24 and the intermediate portions25, which are bent at the `center to form the duplex hump portion 26,having indentations 2l and 28 and being bent at 29, making the entireaffair from one piece of wire.

The purpose of the flat portions 24 is to permit them to be securelyanchored in the ears 20. The ears 2| are rotatably secured to theintermediate portions 25. In between the ears a U-shaped recess 22 isprovided, having a sharp central edge as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, andthe said edge 22 engages either the formation or indentation 21 or 28.

In Fig. 2, when engaging the indentation 22, the closure I8 is closed,thus confining sealably the edge I7 thereof with the top surface IB ofthe body Il. The closure I8 is provided with an enlarged conical recessI9 in order to provide suicient and ample clearance for the lipstructure I3. The material is ejected through the bore I4 which mergeswith the enlarged threaded portion I2 of the body II so that wheneverthe cap' 9 is squeezed or pressed it causes the plastic materialcontained therein to be ejected therefrom.

The terminus central portion 29 Iof the wire portion 26 is caused toslidably and frictionally engage the lower surface 30' of the ledgecomponent portion connecting the ears 20 to the body I I. The reason forthat is, in order to afford a resilient action to Vthe spring hinge, .orto the resilient hinge structure 26, inasmuch asthe flat portion 24being securely anchored, the snapping engagement o f the -hinge 22 witheither indentation `2:1 or 28 will oier a yieldable pressure andresistance, to be overcome readily by a slight pressure to be exerted on.the closure I8 whenever it is desired to open the cap or close the cap,causing either engagement of the edge l22r with the indentation 2-'I, or4engagement with `the indentation 28, or disengagement with any of `thesaid indentations 21 or 28 respectively. The operation and use of myinventionis believed readily obvious and self-evident from the foregoingdescription.

Although I have herein described and revealed rather succinctly theconstruction of my invention, and inasmuch as the same is susceptible of.modifications and improvements, I hereby reserve the right to allrmodifications andimprovements coming within the .scope and spirit of myinvention, also those modications and improvements embraced impliedly inthe accompanying drawings, as well as all those falling within thepurview of the foregoing description.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as novel,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A collapsible tube cap of the character described comprising, a bodyelement provided with a threaded portion removably engaging the neckportion of a collapsible tube and further provided with an extendedhinge portion, a closure element having a mating hinge portionarticulately secured to the said extended hinge portion and furtherprovided with an open slotted portion at its lower edge providing alocking edge portion intermediate said mating hinge portion, and a pivotelement anchorably secured to one of the said' vhinge portions andfreely operative in the other of said hinge portions, the said pivotelement being provided with a central hump portion having its freeterminus in intimate Contact with the lower surface of the said extendedhinge portion and having two indentations adapted to engage releasablythe said locking edge portion in snap relationship in both open andclosed positions of the said closure element.

LOUIS BERGERON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,481,510 Hostettler Jan. 22,1924 2,025,188 Wilson Dec. 24, 1935 2,041,252 Leonard May 19, 19362,149,586 De Boer Mar. 7, 1939 2,288,255 Ross June 30, 1942

